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Online courses must follow the same standards as face-to-face courses to be eligible for credit hours per both Accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the requirements set out by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This link includes an overview, explanation, and instructions for using SJU's Online Instructions Equivalency Grid (I.E. Grid).
How Do I use the Instructional Equivalency Grid?
How Do I use the Instructional Equivalency Grid?
The instructional equivalency grid helps instructors look at the types of activities in their online course and confirm they are eligible for credit hours. Different options for methods of online instruction and how many "equivalent" instructional hours they count for are listed. Instructors can tally their activities to confirm 42 hours are met, identify what module/week they appear in the course, and what type of activity is used to help document compliance.
Consistency is especially important in online courses. There are a variety of ways you can choose to set up the course, but most important is consistency. The attached resource demonstrates a variety of approaches to organizing canvas courses and content based on the needs of your specific course.
How can I organize my online course?
How can I organize my online course?
Online courses can be organized by module, week, or even units. Instructors should think about how they want students to interact with the content to determine the best fit. Is the best way to learn a casual flow where students can interact with content in any order? Do certain assignments/activities need to be completed before they should access more advanced ideas? Does the class meet asynchronously or synchronously? This module structure guide has options for organization driven by these types of questions.
Instructor presence is critical to student engagement no matter the method. This article from Faculty Focus explains some key ideas and characteristics of successful online courses including how to build connection, consistency, content, community, and compassion into your online course.
How do I engage students in an online course?
How do I engage students in an online course?
Engagement needs to be addressed in three key areas: Student-instructor, student-student, and student-content. Online courses with an engaged instructor are most successful, however, online course engagement looks a little different than in a face-to-face class. Many students report feeling isolated or alone in online courses, likely because the physical presence in the classroom is missing. This makes proactive community building and clear communication twice as important in online spaces. Online faculty who make their presence known and make their availability clear have the most success.
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